Thursday, September 29, 2016

Why Back Cover Copy Shouldn't Be Your Last Priority By Nichole Parks


Let me tell you. The best part of my job as Marketing Coordinator is back cover copy. And the worst part of my job? Yeah. *wrinkles nose* That would be back cover copy too.
 
You see, I go through life loving the stuffing out of back cover copy.
 
To me, it’s not just a summary. It’s not just long story short. It’s like a whispered secret you can’t quite catch the last of. You’re intrigued. You’ve got to know more. So you open to that first page. And cha-ching! Congratulations, my friend. You’ve just made a sale, and potentially a loyal reader.
 
My poor co-workers—they had such a hard time understanding my obsession.
 
That is, until I explained.
 
It’s your chance to engage the reader before he/she even opens to the first page. Take, for example, the copy written for Julie Lessman’s Christmas novella.

Accidents happen, and then there’s Grace . . .
 
Pastor Cole McCabe isn’t sure he’ll survive the holidays with his new housekeeper and nanny. She’s dyed his long johns pink and scorched nearly everything she cooks—even catching fire to the kitchen. But he’s desperate, and she’s as destitute as they come.
 
Though she’s no good with her hands, Grace sure has a way with her heart. She’s brought a warmth into Cole’s home, added color to his daughters’ lives, and broken down the wall he’s built up since his beloved wife died.
 
When Grace’s past threatens his family, they have one chance to celebrate Christmas together at home . . . if Grace hasn’t burned it down by then.
 
It will impress an agent and publisher and reader. Not everyone is going to share your story with the same enthusiasm. Not everyone will have reader your whole book. But if you have an entertaining and captivating back cover blurb, your passion for the story will shine through.
 
Casey Demchack has some great insight on this in his article 7 Secrets to Writing Persuasive Back Cover Sales Copy
 
It’s fun.
 
As you can see from the alternative taglines for The Gift of Grace below, the brainstorming process can be full of kicks and giggles. 
 
She’s the accident to his prayers.
Grace has been good all year, but she’s still getting Cole for Christmas.
He might need saving from his saving Grace…
 
Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run ridiculous. Follow those rabbit trails. You never know when one might land you in Wonderland. Of course, if you need a Mad Hatter to guide you, check out my back cover copy services over at Marketing15.
 
Nichole Parks (not to be mistaken for Nicholas Sparks) packs a punch as Marketing Coordinator for Gilead Publishing. Her fingerprints are all over the covers of their latest books. When she’s not cuffed to her inbox, Nichole evades blind dates and loves on her latest dark humor manuscript. Always with a flair for the traumatic… Stalk her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram.